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Secret cull of starving koalas

Bernard Lagan

March 5 2015, 12:01am, The Times

Koalas are a protected species in AustraliaArno Burgi/dpa/Corbis

Almost 700 koalas were secretly culled by wildlife officials after a population explosion. Authorities in Victoria said the animals were beginning to starve to death because they had exhausted supplies of eucalyptus leaves.

Koalas are a protected species in Australia, with heavy penalties for those who harm them. However, officials have admitted carrying out three covert sweeps that killed 686 koalas in 2013 and last year near the Great Ocean Road. The animals were sedated before being humanely put down. The operation was carried out in secret for fear of provoking protests, but the state government has pledged to be open about any future culls.

Desley Wisson, a koala expert from Deakin University, said : “It got to the point where there were no leaves left…

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